God did big things this year...                                         

What I came to learn most was something I already knew; yet it hadn't taken up residence in my heart...God Deserves the Glory.

I guess this trip made me realize even more how serious the decision is to follow Christ. It's not just an idea, it's a lifestyle. He gives us a frame of reference from which we view the world. It comes with responsibility, yet is accompanied with great joy and love. We're in a battle. Do we really want people to know Christ or is it just a wishful hope that one day they'll meet Jesus? Time isn't on our side. When it comes to Jesus I don't want to be a fan on the sidelines anymore who every now and then lets out a cheer. I want to participate in the game. (cheesy I know). However, how quickly I revert back to the cheering section. It's time to move, following where He leads, in the big things, in the small, and sometimes blazing a trail. As my time on the world race comes to a close, pray that I don't allow insecurities to keep me from fulfilling the one thing we were put on this earth to do – share the love of Christ.  For God deserves Glory!

I was woken up roughly by a tug on my pant leg at 5am to give my passport since we were crossing into the Ukraine. One of my friends explained it best as she stated she felt like an illegal immigrant crossing into the country.   I spent most of my time resting since my top bunk didn't quite allow for me to sit up straight. The aroma of spicy food finally got me out of my bed, as I awoke and peered down to see my Russian friends below engaged in conversation at the table. They offered me a phrase book to practice my Russian, unfortunately I couldn't pronounce the words but charades made for some funny moments. After 24 hours on the train we finally disembarked and with packs on our backs we exited the station to find our contact at the local McDonalds. A little taste of home is always nice. Two days later we received our ministry assignment - Teen Challenge, an outreach to drug and alcohol addicts. Check out a link to their video below.

This has been one of my favorite ministries so far, as we've spent time on outreaches throughout the city, visited with at risk youth, and listened to stories of those dealing with addiction. While I've never experimented with drugs or alcohol, addiction comes in all forms. Some people are addicted to performance, others to work, exercise, food, relationships, and as my teammates like to point out – Coca Cola. As I've sat in discussion groups with addicts I reflect on the things that have had a hold on me. And I can relate to the desire of wanting freedom.

One of the greatest things God continues to do in my life is show me what controls me. As I grow in my identity in Christ, I see my struggles, and often the root involves performance and pride. I remember growing up as an athlete, game days were anxious times with worries of scoring enough points or meeting coaches' expectations. Performance had such a control on me that often the fun of the game came second to coaches' approval. The need to perform and receive approval (PRIDE), continued as I entered college, the job market and ministry. Being a slave to people's approval or feeling one must make an impression is exhausting. It's not until we get tired that we finally want to surrender. A feeling many addicts understand.

For me, God is breaking down this control overtime as I realize His approval is the only thing that matters. Now, I can say I don't mind making a fool out of myself, looking bad in front of others, being the one in last place, or screwing up.  It's not always fun, but I can embrace it. This freedom, however, would be impossible if I didn't have a relationship with my Father in Heaven who I know is an unconditional God, who loves me no matter what, and who uses our imperfections. Without his truth, without his love, I wouldn't have found freedom from the lie that I was living under.

In the same way, those involved with Teen Challenge have lived under lies that led them to use drugs and alcohol. As they grow in their relationship with God, He begins to heal wounds and they are finding freedom from addiction. I've been working with this ministry for one week, but already I've learned so much. It is true that we are more alike, than different. The next time I begin to judge someone struggling with drugs or alcohol, I'll remember our similarities.

Please follow the link below and check out Teen Challenge on YouTube.

Waves crash on the shoreline, the pink and red hues of sunrise pierce through my tent, beckoning my eyes to open and witness the beauty of morning. Quietly, I awake and open my rain flap. I lay back down to watch the sun rise slowly above the mountains in the distance, resting for a moment on the mountaintops. The scene is framed like a picture as I watch through the opening of my tent. An African woman passes by carrying water buckets down the beach. With one hand held out, the other balancing the teetering items on top of her head. A lone fisherman pulls a wooden boat behind him as he wades through the water. This is all done in the quietness of the morning. No sound except God's creation. Not a bad way to wake up!

This month my team and I lived in Monkeys Bay, Malawi. In the morning we helped fix up a house for a wonderful Malawian family. We called it "Extreme Makeover Home Addition – Malawi". Team Luminous may have a video up and running by now. In the afternoon we played soccer and volleyball with kids on the beach. Two of my favorite things to do...not a bad ministry! Jose and Nara, an incredible couple from Chili, who I wrote about previously, opened up their home to us.  I learned so much from them, just in watching them interact with one another, with the children they love so much, and in how they serve those around them. It was a great month. 

About a week ago we moved onto Zambia. I hope to share more updates soon!

Over the past seven months I've crossed three oceans, three continents and multiple countries... from the Dominican Republic and Haiti to Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, Mozambique, and now Malawi. On the World Race, I've encountered a number of incredible people, all with stories to tell. However, none have impacted me as much as the story of José Soto and his wife Nara. As we huddled around a campfire on the beach overlooking Lake Malawi, he began to share his story. Even the highlights would fail to express the magnitude at which God moves in his life. Allow me to share a glimpse...

José grew up fighting in the streets of Chile. Coming from a poor family, unwanted by his father, he was told he would never amount to anything. With little to no education, his extracurricular behavior led to a brief stint in jail, followed by an enlistment in the army at only sixteen. To suppress much of his hurt and anger, José turned to drugs. All his trials and tribulations culminated in his mother's death. It was then that he decided to take his own life. Crouched on a median between a busy highway flowing with rush hour traffic, he presented God with an ultimatum: "If you are real, show yourself to me now." Not a single car appeared for ten minutes. That day he gave his life to Christ.

This is a story of faithfulness. Although he was now a Christian, José's troubles were far from over. With no job, no education, and no money, all he could do was pray. As he opened up the local paper in search of work, God told him to apply for a position as an engineer. With little to no education, he thought the idea impossible. However, he had nothing to lose, and God was clear. As he entered the business office to apply for the job employees laughed at his inexperience. However, they allowed him to take the application test. To his astonishment, he scored the highest and earned himself the job. No doubt, God had a greater reason.

During his years as an engineer, God used José to fight corruption in the work place. On several occasions, He came to Jose in dreams urging him to put his job on the line as he approached management about unlawful practices. Bosses came and went, yet José remained. His loyalty and hard work paid off. In his thirties, he was offered an incredible promotion, which would provide substantially for his family. However, José was not about to settle for comfort and stability when his heart stirred for more. Cringing, he turned the position down. God was calling him to a bigger dream...Africa. 

So a year ago, with their church behind them, José along with his wife Nara took a leap of faith. They gave away all their possessions, their home, their car, and said their goodbyes as they prepared to move halfway across the world to Malawi, a seemingly random country. Initially, they couldn't even find it on the map. With only weeks left, everything was in place except one essential thing – passports. They lacked the funds, but not the faith. Unsure where the money would come from, Josa prayed. Suddenly, he remembered a small donation box a woman from church had given him. God nudged his heart to open it. Lifting the lid with hesitation, he peaked inside. Any doubt he had was blown away as he counted the exact amount needed.

Weeks later, with two suitcases in hand, José and Nara arrived in Monkey Bay, Malawi. They survived their first year living in a donated camper next to a local church. Without a shower or a toilet, yet with plenty of heat and mosquitoes, they struggled through the drastic change in lifestyle together. They prayed fervently for a place to call home as they began their outreach to the community. Once again, God showed up. As they walked through the local villages of straw-roofed mud huts, through a maze of trees and dirt paths, they stumbled upon a dilapidated house made of concrete and stone. It was a fixer upper for sure, but a rare gem that brought the beach of Lake Malawi to their doorstep. It was nearly impossible for a missionary couple to afford, but José had overcome greater odds. They contacted the owner, a wealthy government official, and struck a deal: if José fixed the house, he could live in it rent-free.   

Today, José and Nara use the house to share their lives with the people around them. It is their church, their dream, their Noah's Ark. Every afternoon without fail, kids from neighboring villages come to play soccer and volleyball, to sing, dance, and swim. Some children are Muslim and some Christian; many have absent fathers, many are orphaned, even more are abused. José and Nara's objective is to love the kids as their own, to care for them as Christ cares for us, to give them not just a childhood, but also a refuge.

It's on the beach of Lake Malawi that I now sit. With their home behind me, mountains in the distance, and water at my feet, one question comes to mind – Do you believe in a God like this? I've been a Christian for many years, but never witnessed God's hand so clearly. What's José's secret? It's simple, really. When God tells him to do something, no matter how crazy it seems or how great the sacrifice, he does it without waiting for a guarantee. His faithfulness is rewarded in due time.